Abdominoscope



; March 15, 1927.

R. T. EVANS ABDOMINoscoPE Filed rm/.27, 1925 2 sheets-sheet@ Patented Mar. 15,` 1927.Y i

' f :UNITEi s Y'ROBERT T. EVANS, or soo'rTsnALE, ARIZONA.

ABnoMINosoorE.

:Application filed November 27,1925. Serial No. 71,627.

`This invention relates to abdominoscopes 'and' the like for use by surgeons in exploring lthe abdominal cavity and is fully described in the following specification and Shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the'expanvsible sheath;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the inner .sleeve;

Figur?) is va similar view of a tubular mem- '.-ber carrying a lamp and mirror;

F ig. 4 is a partial enlarged longitudinal section of the inner end of the same;

'Figff is asimilar view of the inner end of the sleeve and sheath assembled;

Fig. 6 isa similar view of the outer end of the same; 4

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the sheath on the line 7 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a similar section of the inner sleeve. p

The embodiment illustrated comprises an outer member having a tubular sheath 10, the lower end having a series of strips 11 separated by longitudinal slots 12 and having a circular member 10b connected to the Vouter ends of the strips 11 separated by longitudinal slots 12 and having a circularV member 10a* connected to the outer ends of the strips 11. The inner sleeve 13 is slidably mounted therein as sho-wn in Fig. 5 and is prevented from turning by means of a screw or the like 14 on the inner sleeve which slides in a longitudinal slot 15 on the sheath. y I

The inner end of the sleeve 13 has a button 16 which lies outside of the sheath 10 and which has a shoulder 17 which prevents it from being drawn through the sheath. The butto-n 16 bears upon the outer end of the circular member 11 and is'connected to the sleeve 13 by means of a series of parallel tension members 18 which pret erably have the same spacing as the strips 11, one of the members 18 lying beneath each of these strips.

The outer end of the lsleeve 13 is provided with spiral threads 19 on which operates a nut 2O 'which bears l against the circular member 10a of the sheath 10. As the nutv 20 is turned so as' to withdraw the threads 19 from the sheath expansion 10a the strips 11 are forced up as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 thereby enlarging the slots 12 beneath them. In using the instrument it is covered byy a Athin transparent .covering .10b of iubbe1,`iish bladder orv the likerand is inserted through an opening in theabdominal cavity in the form `show-n. inv full 60 lines in Fig. 5 after which the nutv 20 is turnedso as to expand the strips .11 of the] expansible sheath as shown in .dotted lines in Fig. 5. l

In this condition, the explorationtube y21 65 is inserted. This consists-oi:I a thin tube carrying an incandescent lamp 22 near its.' lower end, this lamp being screwed or otherwisesecured in a suitablesocket 23,;this

socket being connected by mea-ns offa "lead 24 with the `tube 21 while an insu-lated 'wire 25 is led from the opposite terminal '26 of the lamp. Vires 27 and 28 then serve to connect in the well'known manner the in# sulated wire 25 and the tube 21 with a suit- 75 able source lof electric current so that when a switch (not shown) is operated, the lamp Q Between the observerf f 22 will be lighted. and the lamp 25 is a mirror 29 of any suitable material. f

When this exploratory tubeV is inserted within the expansible sheath after it has been opened as previously explained and the lamp 22 lighted, the operator may look through the tube 21 and see in the mirror 85 29 the refiection of the interior of the cavities which are being explored. By turning the tube 21,' the line of vision may be di# rected toward various points. The i thin any of the adjacent portions of Vflesh from being caught betweenv the strips 11.

lhile I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to `transparent covering 10"V helps to prevent 90V be understood that it is capable of many modiications-` Changes, therefore.' in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims. I claim: Y a 1. In a surgical instrument, a'sheath comprising a tube having a series of outwardly bowed spaced longitudinall strips, means for exerting endwise pressure on said strips to cause them to spread by bending between' their ends, and means'insertable into said sheath for exploring through Vthe slits between said strips the cavity into which said sheath is inserted. Y p i 2. In a surgical instrument. a sheath cornprising a tube having a series o foutwardly kbowed spaced longitudinal strips, an inner tube within saidsheath having an external 'screw thread, nut threaded thereon tor ',exertingendwise pressure on saidV strips out- Wardly to causeV them to spread by bending between their vends, and means insertable .int-o said sheath for exploring through the slits between said strips the cavity into which saidv sheath is inserted.

tube within said sheath having an external Vscrew thread, a nut threaded thereon .for exerting endwise pressure on said strips to cause them to spread by bending Ybetween 'their ends, means for preventingl one tube from turning with respect to the other, and

' means insertable into said sheath for eXplorf pri'sing a tube having a series of longitudinal ying through the slits between said strips the cavity into which said sheath is inserted.

4. In a surgical instrument, a sheath comstrips, means for forcing said strips outln a surgical instrument, a sheath c0m' prising` a tube having a series of outwardly' bowed spaced longitudinal strips, an inner nserted.

wardlyV to cause them to spread bybendinfi,-

' between their ends, and means insertable into said sheath for exploring through the slits between said strips the cavity into .which said sheath is inserted, said last mentioned means comprising a tube rotatable in the sheath, the inner end oi' the last mentioned tube 'being cut away at a point adjacent said strips, a: lamp in the endl of the rotatable tube, and a mirror set at an angle between and means exploring;` ythrough the vslitsV between ysaid strips the cavity into which said sheath is ROBERT fr. Evans.

`to spread b v bendingbetween their ends, A' iiisertable into said sheathfor" 

